Applying for beamtime at the AS MEX1 and MEX2 beamlines
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If you answer “NO” to any of these questions; STOP. Go back and take the necessary steps to answer “YES”, otherwise your proposal is likely uncompetitive.
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A common mistake seen in proposals from the catalysis community is to report metal loading in the concentration column. A metal loading is not a concentration. Metal loadings do not help the beamline team assess whether your samples are appropriate for x-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, but do communicate that you have failed to read this guide. Knowing only the metal loading also rarely helps you, the user, to prepare appropriate samples. If you do not know the exact composition of your sample, you are going to have to develop a strategy to produce samples which give you an opportunity measure good data. That may involve preparing the same material at a range of dilutions to cover the possible range of concentration of the element of interest. If you do not know your composition, and your amount of sample is limited, your experiment is likely to be difficult.
Sample | Sample form | Edge | Mode (F/T/D) | Concentration; incl. edge step (in transmission) | K max | Environment | Scans | Time/Scan (hrs) | Total (hrs) |
Pt | foilFoil | Pt L3 | T | Δμd = 1 | 12 | 20, 50, 100 K | 36 | 0.5 | 18 |
FeS2 | Powder pellet | Fe K | T | Δμd = 1 | 18 | RT, He | 3 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
12 GaAs | Powder pellets | Ga K | T | Δμd = 1 | 12 | 20, 50, 100 K | 12 x 3 = 36 | 0.5 | 18 |
Tissue samples (x8) | Cells on window | Br K | F | 0.1 to 0.5 mM | 16 | 10K | 8 x 4 = 32 | 1 | 32 |
5 Cr model compounds | Film | Cr K | F | diluted to | XANES only | 10K | 5 x 1 = 5 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
15 Ir/Al2O3 catalysts | Coin cell | Ir L3 | F | 0.1 wt% | XANES only | RT | 2 x 15 = 30 | 0.3 | 10 |
4 S containing polymers, measured at 5 angles | S K | F, D | 20% | XANES only | RT, vacuum | 5 x 2 x 4 | 0.5 | 20 | |
Self absorption characterisation | S K | F | 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 20% | XANES only | RT, Helium | 6 x 2 angles | 0.5 | 6 | |
Radiation hardness testing (hrs) | 2-3 | ||||||||
Beamline conditioning and training (hrs) | 4 | ||||||||
Total time requested | X hrs (Y shifts) | ||||||||
Outcome of previous Australian Synchrotron experiments (past 3 years)
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